Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 생일 축하해요 | saeng'il chukha-haeyo | [sʰɛŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦɛjo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
informal, polite |
| 생신 축하드립니다 | saengsin chukha-deurimnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하합니다 | saeng'il chukha-hamnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하해 | saeng'il chukha-hae | informal |
This phrase is used to offer good wishes to someone on their birthday. In Korean, the subject (you) is often omitted in this phrase, so you do not need to say 'You happy birthday'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word for birthday, 생일, consists of 생 (birth) and 일 (day).
Which one should you use?
While 생일 is the standard word for birthday, 생신 is the honorific form. You should use the form containing 생신 when wishing a happy birthday to someone much older or in a much higher social position.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The formality of your greeting depends on your relationship with the person. 생일 축하해 is the casual way to say happy birthday, while 생일 축하해요 is the standard polite way. For highly formal situations, use 생일 축하합니다 or 생신 축하드립니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal form 생일 축하해 is used with close friends, siblings or people younger than you. The polite form 생일 축하해요 is used for acquaintances or colleagues of similar status.
How do you pronounce it?
saeng'il chukha-haeyo
Did you know?
- In Korea, the first birthday of a baby, called 돌 (dol), is a massive milestone. Families often host a 'doljabi' event where the baby picks an object to predict their future career.
- While you might celebrate a birthday with a cake, a traditional Korean birthday often involves eating 'miyeok-guk', a seaweed soup. This custom is rooted in the idea that the soup was the first food a mother ate after giving birth.
- Many Koreans celebrate their birthday based on the lunar calendar rather than the solar calendar. This means the date of their celebration changes every year on the Gregorian calendar.
Examples in context
- 생일 축하해 Muiriel!Happy birthday, Muiriel!This sentence is useful for showing how to use the informal form 생일 축하해.Tatoeba #5355 by cueyayotl, translation #355041 by human600
- 민수 씨, 생일 축하해요.Minsu-ssi, saeng-il chuk-ha-hae-yo.Minsu, happy birthday.
Example conversation
Subin greets Dohyeon in the office on his birthday.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 생일 축하해요!Dohyeon-ssi, saeng-il chuk-ha-hae-yo!Dohyeon, happy birthday!
- 도현 Do-hyeon고마워요, 수빈 씨.goma-wo-yo, Subin-ssi.Thank you, Subin.
- 수빈 Su-bin맛있는 거 많이 먹어요.mas-iss-neun geo man-hi meok-eo-yo.Eat lots of delicious food.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 그럴게요.ne, geu-reol-ge-yo.Yes, I will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries 생일 축하해요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
